Former President Goodluck Jonathan has defended his administration, saying he did his best while serving as Nigeria’s leader despite criticisms that he made mistakes while in office.
Jonathan’s response followed remarks by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who described him as inexperienced during an interview on Prime Time on Arise TV.
Atiku, who is seeking the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress, said Jonathan’s lack of experience contributed to his inability to effectively manage the country during challenging moments.
“I know Goodluck Jonathan very well. He is a decent young man, but also inexperienced, and I believe that contributed to his inability to manage the affairs of the country, particularly when he was faced with challenges,” Atiku said during the interview.
The former vice president is contesting the party’s ticket alongside several prominent politicians, including Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Responding on Monday at the 2025 awards ceremony of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria in Abuja, Jonathan said it is unrealistic to expect leaders to govern without making mistakes.
According to him, anyone who has served as a governor or president would acknowledge that errors are part of the leadership process.
“So not too long ago, a very senior politician said, ‘Oh, Jonathan was too young and probably that’s why he made mistakes.’ If I made mistakes, yes, nobody who becomes a governor or a president will say you did not make mistakes,” he said.
Jonathan noted that he became Nigeria’s president in 2010 at the age of 53 and left office in 2015 at 58. He questioned the claim that he was too young to govern the country.
“I became president in 2010 at the age of 53. I left in 2015 at the age of 58, and they say I was too young. Must it have been 100 years before I ran the affairs of the state?” he asked.
The former president also defended the achievements of his administration, especially in foreign policy and diplomacy.
He pointed to Nigeria’s election to the United Nations Security Council during his tenure as evidence of the country’s strong diplomatic performance at the time.
“If I were so naive, I don’t think I would have been able to navigate through that process,” Jonathan said.
Speaking on regional matters, Jonathan warned that political instability continues to undermine economic development across West Africa. He stressed that the vision of the Economic Community of West African States cannot succeed without stable political systems in member states.
“We cannot progress economically if we are very unstable societies politically,” he said.
Jonathan added that enforcing democratic standards within the regional bloc often clashes with the principle of national sovereignty, making consensus among leaders difficult.
He urged West African leaders to work together to strengthen democratic institutions and ensure political stability across the sub-region.
During the event, former Head of State Yakubu Gowon was also honoured for his role in establishing ECOWAS in 1975. Gowon described the creation of the regional bloc as a collective effort aimed at promoting economic and political cooperation among West African countries.
The awards ceremony, organised by the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria, also recognised individuals who have contributed to diplomacy and governance in Nigeria and across Africa.
